Coupling for rods or shafts



May 25, 1943. F. B. THOMAS 2,319,892

` coUPLING For: nous on sHAFTs l Filed Jam.4 25, 194s- 24 l5 4F39 22 'V-ao -2| Patented May 25, 1943 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFlCE CQUBLING FOR RODS OR SHAF'ES Frank B. Thomas, Akron, Ohio Application January 25, 1943, Serial No. 473,559

4, Cia-ims- This invention relates to couplings and more especiallyit relates to couplings for sectional rods or shafts such as are used for the transmission ofV power. i

The invention is of especialutility in its application to. the sectional driving rods of drainor sewer-cleaning apparatus. Such rods usually comprise sections of 16-foot length )that are coupled end-to-end to provide the` total length required. The leading end of the sectional rod is provided with a boring tool, such as an auger, and the opposite end Vof the rod is connected to a suitablemotor for turning the rod. The auger is adapted to propel itself and the rod through a clogged .sewer as the rod is driven, usually at high speed, and to sever the material from the wall of sewer so that it may be flushed therefrom. As the rod progresses through the sewer the. driving thereof is periodically halted so the additional sections of rod may be coupled to the y trailing or driving end thereof. In apparatus of the character mentioned the problem of breakage of the rod is a serious matter since there is difficulty in retrieving shafts that break at any point within a sewer. In apparatus heretofore provided lbreakage very frequently has occurred in the rod couplings, due to play therein or to constructions which result in excessive torsional strains on athe rod-ends, and it is to the relief of these conditions that this invention primarily is directed.

The chief objects of the invention are to provide a superior rod coupling of the character mentioned; to provide a coupling that Will be light in weight; that may be assembled with the sectional rod readily and in a facile manner; that will be strong and durable in use; that will prevent movement of conjoined ends of rod-sections relatively of each other and relatively of the couplings; and that will reinforce the rod-ends against strains incidental to service use. Other objects will be manifest as the description proceeds.

0f the accompanying drawing:

Fig. .1 is an elevation of the several elements of a coupling embodying the invention, shown in dis-assembled condition, a part thereof being in section:

Fig. 2 is a diametric longitudinal section .of the Y.

improved coupling, and the conjoined end portions of a pair of rod-sections with which the coupling is operatively associated;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but in a plane disposed at 90 degrees thereto;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 and Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing, it will be seen that the improved coupling consists of three parts, namely, a cylindrical body or sleeve portion I0, and rounded caps II, I2 mountable upon the respective ends of said body portion I0, all of said parts being of metal. Said coupling is adapted for use with a sectional driving rod 'or shaft, of which |the adjacent ends of two sections, designated I3 and I4 respectively are shownV herein. One end'of each rod-section is formed with a closed loop `or eye, such as the eye I5 on the Asection I4, and the other end of each section'is formed with an open hook, such as .the hook I6 on the section I3. The hook I6 of one rod-section is receivable in the eye I5 of the adjacent rod-sectiony as shown, to connect the sections end to end when a complete driving rod is assembled. During manufacture of the rod-sections I3, I4, which sections may be of identical construction, coupling caps I I and I2' are mounted thereon before the hooks I6 are formed; the said caps being determinately disposed with relation to each other as presently will be explained. The caps II and I2 are formed with respective axial bores I'I to receive the rod-sections.

The coupling body or sleeve I0 is arranged to be telescoped over the coupled ends of rod-sections I3, I4, and to this end is formed interiorly with a slot 20 extending from end to end thereof. The slot 20 is of the same transverse profile as the rod-eye I5, as is most clearly shown in Fig. 4, and enables the coupling body II) to be passed yover the eye I5 and onto the rod I4, during the assembling of a driving rod, before the hook I6 of rod-section I3 is engaged with said eye. The Coupling body I0 also is for-med interiorly with a slot 2| that has the same transverse shape as the slot 20, and is disposed in a plane that is at right angles to the plane of the latter. The slot 2| extends from one end of the body I0 substantially to the middle thereof, and has its inner end arcuately shaped as at 22 substantially on the same radius as the curvature of the end of a rodhook. Thus, after the hook I6 is engaged with the eye I5, the coupling body I Il may be slid from the rod I4 and over the coupled rod-ends, the eye I5 being received in the slot 20 of the body and the hook I6 vbeing received in the slot 2| in the body, the arcuate inner end 22' of slot 2| abutting said hook, as shown in Fig. 3. For clearness of illustration, clearance has been shown between the slots 20, 2| and the respective eyes I5 and hooks I6, but it is preferred that the hook and the eye have an easy sliding t in the respective slots, with no visible clearance therebetween.

The caps II, I2, when operatively assembled with the coupling body I0, are so constructed that their inner ends will engage the respective eye-and-hook formations and thereby prevent relative movement of the coupled rod sections axially of the coupling. The inner ends of the aperture I'I of said caps are rounded, as shown at 24, to prevent scoring of the hook-and-eye formations by engagement therewith. The caps I I, I2 are secured to the body I0 by being threaded into opposite ends thereof, and for this purpose the caps are provided with reduced threaded portions 25, 26 respectively, that are receivable in complementally threaded countersunk regions 21, 28 in the coupling body. As shown, the threads 25 are right-hand threads and the threads 26 are left-hand threads. Thev position of the right-hand threads and left-hand threads bears a definite relation to the direction of rotation of the drive rod and coupling, the arrangement being such that neither cap II, I2 will become unthreaded from the coupling body dueto rotation thereof. Preferably the caps II, I2 are formed with local iiat regions as shown to enable them to be engaged by a turning tool, such as a Wrench, and the body I0 is formed with recesses 29 to receive; a pin wrench used for holding said body while the caps are being tightened thereon. Y

'From the' foregoing it will be apparent that theY improved coupling is externally streamlined so asA not to impede the progress of a drive-rod through aV drain orV sewer. The coupling not only' prevents relative angular and axial movement'of adjacent rod-sections, but it reinforces the hook-and-eye formations on said sections so that theyV are not deformed or fractured as the result of torsional strains imposed thereon during use. Y

Modification may beVY resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope thereof as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A coupling for rod-sections linked end-toend by hook-and-eye formations, said coupling comprising a cylindrical metal sleeve telescoped over said hook-and-eye formations, axially apertured caps on opposite ends of the sleeve through which apertures the respective rod-sections extend, and respective slots formed interiorly of said sleeve and receiving said hookand-eye formations, said slots being arranged to prevent angular movement of said formations relatively of each other and relatively of the sleeve.

2. A coupling for rod-sections linked end-toend by hook-and-eye formations, said coupling comprising a cylindrical sleeve telescoped over said hook-and-eye formations, axially apertured closure members on opposite ends of the sleeve, the rod-sections extending through said apertures, a slot formed interiorly of the sleeve from end to end thereof, in which slot the eye formation is receivable, and a second slot extending longitudinally of the sleeve, and disposed in a plane that is transverse to the plane of the rstmentioned slot, in which the hook formation is receivable.

3. A combination as dened in claim 2 wherein the second slot extends from one end of the sleeve to a point substantially midway between the ends of the sleeve.

4. A combination as defined in claim 2 wherein the second slot extends from one end of the sleeve to a point interiorly thereof, and has its inner end arcuately shaped complemental to the curvature' of a hooi; formation adapted to bear thereagainst.

. FRANK B. THOMAS. 

